Remarks During a Meeting With President John Agyekum Kufuor of Ghana in Accra, Ghana,
February 20, 2008

President Bush. Thank you very much for your hospitality. Mr. President, thanks. First of all, it’s an honor to be in your country, and it’s an honor to be with you—[inaudible]. I don’t know if the people of your country truly understand your standing in the international community, but you are one of the most respected international leaders. You have represented your country well; you have represented the continent of Africa well; and you represent certain basic values extremely well. So it’s an honor to be with you today.

You’re right; you and I are both finishing our term. But you forgot to say that we’re both going to finish strong. [Laughter]

President Kufuor. That is a politician I talk about. [Laughter]

President Bush. You mentioned the Millennium Challenge Account. And I believe you’re the first country on the continent of Africa to receive a grant. And we did so because we believe in supporting governments that fight corruption, invest in their children, invest in the health of their citizens, believe in marketplace economies, and that’s exactly the way you’ve led your country.

And so ours is a—it’s certainly not a gift. It is given in a cooperative spirit that—[inaudible]—people. And we believe that it is in our national interest to promote freedom and democracy as well as help the citizenry make the—[inaudible]. And you’ve led the way, Mr. President. It’s been very easy to support your Government.

And I appreciate you bringing up disease. There’s no doubt in my mind that given some help, the Government of Ghana—led by you, sir—will eradicate malaria. It’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of organizational skills and support from the international community, which you will have. And I predict to the people of Ghana that when you look back at President Kufuor’s leadership, you’ll say, this was the beginning of the end of the disease that affected so many lives—[inaudible].

And I appreciate your leadership, my friend, and I want to thank you very much for this warm hospitality. I do want to thank the people of Ghana—at least those we’ve seen so far—for getting up early, lining the streets, and waving with such enthusiasm. It made us all feel great, and it’s a part of the trip I’ve really been looking forward to. So grateful for your hospitality. Thank you, sir.

Note: The President spoke at approximately 10 a.m. at Osu Castle.